The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, March 16, 1902, Page 14

Y the nation before you strike across for Henrfetta.” Brockman selected a big gray stallion for his mount—an animal that had lorded it over a bunch of wild horses until one day_when, with most he's everything desert you. God forgive me if I am doing ardly thuig to 1f she don't know i e He put i{ in his be otherwise,” said he, to him, and she did a co run off and Icave him. it now, she will when I ge. a cnaace at And if I don't give thut card-shar] cause to threaten somebody bigger than the maverick, then I don’t know my own wn pocket. “On, my dear, dear child, pray for me as 1 will always pray for you. get something to do and be a brave little There must be an end to this soon, and if T five I will come back to you. rave and strong and good, and if you are compelled to go away I for mammy with the commandant at the post, saying where you have gone—for I feel thai God surely will soon rele from this l‘:‘»nndu' & f s Oh, my boy, forgive and pray for yo; L PO, LR NOTHER. , as he took the letter and thrust it back into his pocket, “T'll leave the maverick with you. care of him don't come back, why, -sharper yourse! “You ain't a-goin ' Beénois asked. “I'm a-going to Henrletta,” between his lips and and where it t down to wat alked in a wild corral and found Brockman had broken at Gedl of trouble, and he had no_equal in that part of the country either for speed or for had saddled the ‘Winchester and six-shooter and stuffed some jerked beef and some biscuit into his saddle pockets, he went in to say a word to the maverick. He found the little fellow conscious, but very weak. “I'm going away for a ime,” he said, look after you, as well as he can, and you must look after himself trapped. him.after a gr: the animal “I'd et a crack that fellgw i A P S T me across him. knows when the paymaster's due, he may to skin the a blind trail. e don't know where he's gone, nor even at he calls his 3 that we'll ever pleading with her ing that it would all be could get work and endurance. looked to his de of that it said Brock: paper that had fallen 1 get batk. from the ma have a try at that snes out of his id it aside, took the paper, opened deliberately and settled himself to read it. manner changed, his brows con- drew himself up into a watched him ly mimicking his ex- “fell back cryis fo quit the hunt, are tears for you, back comfortably Almost at you going?” t his teeth, and a To Henrietta,” know anybody there?” The mavyerick covered his face with his did_not answer. when he took his hands away to cling to Brockman's big fist, there were tears in his eyes, but he said nothing. Brockman made no further attempt to force his con- Ed replied. CHAPTER XII BROCKMAN atly, unconsicous Benols finished with a crumpled the Jer in his hand, Brockman also snorted, clenched his fists, and then sprang to his indignation hands and A little later, Dalton came into the room Where Be- nois and Brockman were and he seemed worried. Benols was the first to notice 1t. coming of day- Iy, with the “The rope’s too good for a man like that,” Benois declared, with an oath. Dalton inter- nan left him and Went to co: 1 told him to taking up with the card Like enough care of himself. “and when it thing_for him, ain’t’ saddled 1g up back of Lhe rted the herd LRCCKMAN COULD EEAB_. THEM YELPING AS THEY WHIPPED TH EIR PONIES TO GET WITHIN RANGE. What is it, :d as to what to do,” the “I've as good as ‘re making Sio TR Row. %5 S Brockman de- _ “Something’s gone wrong. ohn?” he asked. YSI'm stump boss herder replied, promised the Heraid and lkard boys that we'd be plugging along on the trall of these Indians, and if they've done what 1 asked they may be needing our help. reckoned to be traveling off toward the Big Wichita by now; but I can’t leave maverick behind, and we can't go a-chasing Indians in a wagon. Just stumped Kiowas slip but if they run into 'em and the boys get the worst of it—well, I'd just never et with Benois about his idea. Allen and Ringer had appointed them- surgeons to Benofs. out to peel and trim some long run across anybody that would like to know how you're getting on,” he sald gently, as he turned away, “I' tell them that I've adopted you. Later in the day, while gallopin the big divide which separates the watershed from Union Creek, it suddenly occurred to Brockman know the name of the woman started out to find for some as yet unde- fined purpose, nor even that of the mam upon whom he had determined to force a quarrel at the earliest opportunity, blamed himself this Information out of the boy, but a little reflection convinced him that, while the maverick might have told him his own name, the little chap would not the gambler who maverick sat bolt up- They had sent bout him in a frightened Eenols repeated. Why, haven't you read it?” Brockman, . What does he say?’ he don't sa her—the mother. need no man's abuse. which I'm sorrler for, her or the boy."” ay and left him, didn't “‘She might ed with him, mightn't she? iamed of, is he? r to; so can you, for the bad” dream?” ordered to bring in as 1 of the sticky red clay as he could / up from the branch. Jimb was laid bare, and, while the ols to keep his Sff the operation, the self-appointed s pulled and rubbed the fractured s into place. antime, Al Gentry w into putty by the addition of a little I heard them,” Then the in- And say, Ed, she don't Damme if 1 know he did not while Brockman “But she ran a boy replied s kneading the nobody to be matter of that,” yoa hear this, Benols sald, “Walit till you hear this, and then maybe you'll see & reason her doing what press bark into splints. The wagon cover into strips for & with another “] want to quit you for a while and go' up to Henrletta,” ‘Brockman sald to him, 50 I'll make a run out by to head them off.'” Dalton replied; “but “Something's have named blame for his havng been she's done.” Brockman, breath, This “and {t you another strip Ikard's -and try two were molded by press- ure of the hands to the shape of the leg and to each other, forming a sort of plas- The bark splints cominenting on it 1s what the mother had written: “My poor, dear, unfortunate lttle boy— May the good. Lord glve you courage to wagon, I reckon,” likely, was known by the gambler's name, To have asked for that would have been * to tell the little chap that his shame was no secret to the men he was living among. And Brockman would not have given his maverick that pain for anything in the cattle are pretty badly scattered by this us a chance to you've just come do you want to CHAPTER XI1. and 1t would THE MAVERICK'S were bound into pla from ankle e, by strips of And if, in abandoning you, as I now am about {o do, it should not prove ultimate good—as I belleve oh, my little Edward, by dear father, back from town, §o to Henrletta for, anyway?" “It's a family matter, suw that Brockman hesitated to reply. A¥ a matter of fact it had just occurred he would have consid- erable difficulty In justifying to the hard- unsentimental tedious operation, but r surgeons of no school at all to be for our and pray it will of your dear, ver doubt that my only motive was to keep you safe from harm and im- Al contamination, cause of your unhappiness than from my sfore the sun went #nid Benols, who these front He fell to speculating about what kind of & woman this must be who could cut herself off from a child whom apparently #he loved as she loved no onhe elwe, then his own words to Benols cam “Like enough it was to him the whame of it." over Benols better done to Brockman that win driving ffer more bo- found that Allen and maverick's That must in the exciting experie family affairs, bowlegged, up his mind as to what he reall I be wure of protecting you from ury at the hands of this wicked man, gOIng away, for he has been He ways we must go o callod Henrletta, and he haw bought i tenm and wagon for the trip, Adare not take you with us, and T dare not while you are near, n aw he has threatened you, Because he han deceived me, he be- limven that T now decelve him, and ho tor. tures me with senscless accusations, jenlous even of my affection for you, and, alone with him in a wild country, he would not control his hatred of you. We have no friends to whom we can ap- peal, and in my distress I can think of no other way to Insure your safety, forently_when he henrd Henols read her be It, for what mother would tell her shame to her child? Hefore the letter wan read, he remem- erod, ho had fmugined he know the typs of woman: she wiax big and Hashy wtout and good-looking, ke hundreds of little further alon, reing him at inter was ncreature of impulse, but most of his frpulwes wore good ones, even If a triflo Quixotie at and did not te nad stirred quinine anch pharmu- while the left thin was pointed sons they cheerfully prom- ined to make matters al) right his other leg, well after the opera- wax wittinge up on his couch e when Brookman dropped log was wiralght, out to his wury o1l Dalton ft 1 Wi momebody olne's family matter that was taking him n oame off hord the it 52 hery threntened me oihers who had maverick's forehead, and then involuntarily started buck as the Benois had slept “Well, If vou want to rink it, nll right," utock may Dalton 'sald have worked up fnto Clay County, any- way, and it might be a easlon and dance halls; ones wame way, But since that letter as _he thought smoking a_pl started, they down beside “How's the maverick, B4?' he asked. “Out of hix hoad and telling secret and then he told Benols pleced together from the “'Whatever she may od thing to (he softened of what whe must have wuffered when writing i)—aince he had had a glimpse of her grief through her taken & new mental He felt sure now throw himself about in hix delirfum a bit Take the heut horse you can find. and If you ean make Tkard's hefore dark But you'd better walt Kiowas get Brockman sald *tory he had boy's delirious ta own eyes=he had you'll be all right photograph of her. up wnd saw that it was covered with writ. there until the that she was a little, clinging, affection- ate, timid woman that a man could frighten with a frown. He had known a woman like that once, and she had a big brute of a husband who was unkind to her; there was something about her “KF used to make him think of a dPE_‘_- '; more she was abused the closer sne would cling to the man who ill-used her. Yes, surely, this must be another such woman; for one of, the bold and fashy sort would stand up for her own, anv fight and cut throats for him if necessary, Brockman never had come in contact with the type of womanhood that 1S & martyr to conscience and duty as & resuft of religious training and culture, and It puzzled him to make the inherited menta Quaiities and the patient courage of hls maverick fit in with the weak character he had just reasoned out to be that boy’s mother. d “However it happens, it's a damnec shame,” he muttered, as he pulled up to study the basin of the Big Wichita, which lay before him, “‘and I'm going to set It right if any one man can do it. I'll see him through—and his mother, too, for his sake.” < He had started down the divide into the wooded bottom of the Wichita when the gray stallion suddenly came to a stan and, throwing up his head, sniffed the air. Brockman regarded the timber su plciously for a moment, then pulled the /inchester from beneath his leg and pumped a cartridge into the barrel. At the same time the stallion pawed the earth and neighed shrilly. From the tim- ber then there came a succession whinneyings, betraying the presence its shade of a number of horses. “Good old boy,” said Ed, patting the stallion’s neck. *‘With your nose and my eyes they'll re need a right smart trap to _catch us Brockman turned his horse back up the divide. There came a halloo from the timber, and the runner from Milliken's rode into view and waved his hand. Half a dozen men followed him out of the timber. One of these Brockman rec- ognized as Foreman Wilson of the Herald outfit. e waited for them to come up, and learrled that they were on the way to Join Ikard's men. ““They were all out on a round-up when I reached the Herald camp,” the runner from Milliken's explained. “and I had to walt for them to come in. We're going on now to get Ikard’s men out.”” \ “Then there's no need of my going any turther,” said Ed. “You all can tell them that we've got one man lald up with a broken leg, and another sick, and Dalton can'g leave them alone. He was afraid ou all might go out after the Indians, hinking that he was trailing them up, 80 I was sent to tell you that we couldn’t follow. We've thinned 'em out a few, though. They ain't as many by eight as they were when they came in. I'm going to strike across here to Henrletta, but if 1 hit a fresh trail I'll turn back to Ikard's. They must be off to the northeast of- us here somewhere, and if you're going out after them my advice to you is to try and 'bush them up above. near the. falls, or over where the big buffalo trall crosses Pease River.” “We'll have a try at them, anyhow, ,Foreman Wilson said. *“They got some of our horses the last time in, and we owe them a licking. If we find they haven’'t crossed the Wichita, we’ll turn back across country and hunt them up.” With that understanding thev parted companv. Brockman turning off to the east and the others continuing up the ‘Wichita. After crossing the Little Wich- fta. Brockman bore away to the south of Henrletta, not caring to risk an encounter single-handed with the Kiowas, and be- leving them to be near by to the north. It was night when he reached a point al- most due south of and about twenty- seven miles from Henrjetta. He knew of a little stream there where the trail from Jacksboro crossed. and expected to make camp for the night near the cross- ing. He could then reach Henrietta In the morning in time for breakfast., As he drew near the crossing he saw a campfiré glimmering in the brush near the trail. “Buffalo hunters,” he sald to himself. “and shorthorns at that, else they'd have put their fire out at dark. That's an Invite to cali that a Kiowa could see with his eves shut.” Without dlsmounting he made a recon- nolssance, and saw a wagon drawn up at one side 6f the trall. He walted to hear volees, and. not hearing them, drew nearer. A little gust of. wind caused the fire to flare up brightly for a moment, and by its light he caught a glimpse of & woman seated in a defected attitude on a blanket beside the wagon. CHAPTER XIIL THE LONE CAMPER. As she heard the tread of an approach- lnf horse the woman started up and ealled out tremulously: “Is that you, James?"’ “Nope," sald Brockman, as he rode into the camp; “this chap was christened Ed, #nd his voad brand is Brockman., Howdy, ma'am; and where's the men folks?" “I thought it was my husband,” the woman said falteringly. ‘“‘He has gone to look for one of our horses. Won't you —won't you get down and have some coffee?’’ she asked, hesitatingly, as if un- certain whether she ought to extend the invitation. “To be sure, and thank you for it,” Ed replied heartily, wnnderlng‘. as he dis- mounted, where he might have met this woman, =0 familiar did her voice sound to him. As he turned toward her, one arm_thrust through his bridle reins and the thumbs of both hands hanging on Lhe edge of the cartridge belt at his hips, she shrank back toward the wagon as if in some sort of dread of him. “I can go on, ma'am,” he sald gently, *“4f you feel uneasy about me."” “No, no,”” she replied hurriedly, as if ashamed that she had mistrusted him. “Have someth to eat first.” Then from the boot of the wagon she brought a tin plate and a cup and a knife and fork, which she placed upon the blanket. From the fire she took a skijlet with some ham in it, and the coffee pot and a platter with a pone of bread upon it. These she laced beside the plate, and invited him o help himself. “Is_James likely to be gone long?” Ed asked, as he dropped the bridle reins so that the gray might browse. “I cannot tell; I hope not,” his hostess replied, her suspicions evidently aroused again by the question. “Well, as he ain’t here to do it,” Ed said, “T'll just bank this fire for him. It shows too bright out there on the prairie and might bring him some troublesome company.” As he spoke he heaped the ashes up over the blazing embers. “You don’'t seem to have had much luck with the buffalo,” he went on, as he plumped down and helped himself to the food, ‘‘seeing as you haven't any hides. You should come down on our range. They're plenty enough® there—out Union Creek way, And a precious lot of troubie they give us, for they feed in among the cattle, and every time they wind one ot us they stampede like mad, and the fool steers just run off with 'em and keep us a-killing of our horses to cut 'em out.” “We are not buffalo hunters,” the woman sald, smiling at his mistake. “No? Then what in the name of the great muley cow have you been a-camp- ing here a week for? Nobody that know this country would come here to picni. “How do you know that we have been here a week the woman asked, all sus- plelon again. “You'd never have burnt wood enough to make that plle of ashes In less time," Ed replled, pointing to the smoldering campfire. “That's how I know it You're not thinking about taking up land here, are you? Not that I want to snoop into your affairs; but this here is no pince for a white woman. Tt's too close to the line, and there’s too many Indlang coming In from the Nation e “Wae are on our way to Henrletta,” saia his hostess, wearlly. “One of our horses strayed oft In_the night a few dayw ago, and 1 fear he has gone back to Jackshoro My husband has ridden off on the other one in wearch of him," Brockman let his knife fall clattering on his plate and whistled' woftly s he Sthrod Into the face of the woman before him, “Are you n:'«rlulnlml much in Jacks- boro? he nuked wuddenty “No," mald she, Rwerting her fuce o1 didn't know but you might have seen a lttle friend o' mine there,” he went on burrledly, as if afrald that whe might In terrupt him, “A lttle vlmv. name of Bd- ward, that was left there by his mammy when she up and ran off: with a card. sharper—more shame to her for forgetting that she was a mother,” The woman stirted up with a ory. “What do you mean?' she asked, clasp ing her hands and staring into his fac here to k of m do you come me tri nobody ald gravely, as h this to I've got him in ¢ He belongs to m away from 1 won't But ju say as to to find I her as well left in her boro and can take her what I I've The wom u “do n w —to save covered her trembled violent press her emotion. would suffer,” sk begged him to b my poor Iitt Brockman’'s mind turned of fareweil that he had in onscience smote him. he felt and the z at his feet was gan to fear t he for granted. He was 3 What right h nis woman's judge? there surely was something back that he ¢ not know. The woma not love the card-sharper; that mu clear from her letter to the boy. then, did she ert a child whom she di love to go with a man for whom she cared That was the puzzle. St nothing. T he b spoken of the gambler as “my husban self Perhaps, after all, he was her husband! What a fool not to have thought of it before! And he had just been treating ner as if she were a woman of the town; er as to a person who had traveling with a he might be, it had talked to degraded her: man who, whatever else was perhaps her legal protector. should turn out that way, he sald to self, then he had done the maveri ne good, and had only wounded somebody who was very dear to the boy. What & blunderer he was, anyway, and how it hurt to look at that woman tn tears. *“Look a-here, Missus Jim"—Brockman’s voice was a bit husky in spite of his effort to be calm as he bent over her— “will you just answer me one questiom, for_the boy’s sake?” ““Yes; I have nothing to conceal,”™ sobbed. “1 don’t want to hurt your feelings any more, but—are you truly married to ‘this cuss?” “What right have you—what righ any one to doubt it?" she cried getting upon her feet. ‘‘Yes; to my lasting misery, I am The s by she of that lies only in ticed on me, and In his crueity child. Brockman struck his clenched righ hand upon the palm of his left. * It was as if he were punishing himself for a fault. “Then I've wronged you, and I say no more than that I'd sooner been beat to death than have wanted to do something for the turn you back for his sake if th been different. It'll do you good ar to know that he has friends who wo him want for anything thay can give him. And you can just say f if_ever there should be need friends will be my friends,’ and be making any mistake. I'm— Missus Jim." She made no reply, and he went on “I'd better be going before that gam- bler gets back. eing that he rea s your husband, I ain’t got no business with him. But I don't like to leave you here alone, The country ain't safe when the moon's like th When ¢ he out after that hors ““At noon of the day before yesterday she answered, sobbing more softly now, for the cowboy’s willlngness fo befrignc befriended her child, and madefher willing her, as he had touched her deeply to _forget the brutal things he! had said “And you've been here all wlone since then?" he asked in astonishment She' nodded. ‘“The strain and, the solitude have made me a bit hystgrical I'm afrald,” she sald, as If offering apology for her weakness. “And I've been toriured by a horrible fear that per haps—perhaps “That perhaps you might be left here?’ the cowboy suggested. She buried her face in her hands and did_not reply. “You might have been scalped a domen times as it is,” he said to her then, “for the country’s fu]l of Indians. You must ge out of this. You can’t go on walting here. I'll take—" There came a scream from the gray stallion. They turned just in time to see a dark form vaulting for the saddle. It did not land there, for the stalllon swerved and made a sudden buck jump which dislodged As It was falling & pair of wicked heels shot out and caught the intruder fairly upon the head, casting him senseiess and bleeding at their feet. At the sight of the Indian the woman reeled and would have fallen had not Brockman caught her. “We can't stay here,* he cried. ““There’s sure to be gore of them near by. We must ryn for it. ‘While speaking he had dragged her toward the stallion. He lifted her as if she were a child and placed her in the saddle. Vaulting into place behind her, he slipped his left arm under hers and gathered the reins. Then, taking his ix-shooter in his right hand. he headed ray toward Jacksboro. The stallion ed to move out. As Brockman let shim feel the spur he backed off in the opposite direction, “There must be something I can't see out there ahead of us,” said Ed, “and he knows it. We'll have to make for Hen- rietta. It's a shorter run, anyhow.” Turned in the way he wan given his head the big sta ted to go and fon plunged through the brush and out upon o trafl to the north. As t made open prairie a chorus of flerce yells and half a dozen shots from beyond the w told them that their f “Don’t be her tremble they were all back to their follow. And country that can ‘There was no into her face them swiftly alo: she had fainted ght. was disc afraid,” he sai n down mo there x1v. CHAF A CHANCE SHOT. Falrly out 1 trall, with open country ahead 1 e of their pursuers yet in sight, Brockman eased the gray up. With tw seven miles to go, and with a double burden to carry, it was sary to save I much’ as possible in o that b ght, when called upon be able to head a rush > n long, wwinging lope \ich cost hir le of fort while | od them ahend at a steady pace, the stalllon made his way northw wponding n he N stant to the lightest touch of the lnes upon his neck and carrying himsel! as proudly as a champl Brockm | six-shootar back Ir the I have both hands free to @ dend welght of his companior litted her out of the ne 1 slid Into hm holdi her n his b ANt 0 n Ter | u child Her ha had fallen down, and the wind lald It up wgiinee r aresaingly, making bls blood tingle strangel The were out after them ow, Mrook man could henr them yelping as they whipped thelr ponfes to get within range, and presently he could make them out as he glanced r his should blaek shadows racing along in the iuht, & great swarm of them, spread out so as to head him off were he to turn either to the ght or to the left Concluded Next Weak